


True Heaven

by CaithyCat



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Domestic, F/F, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Future Fic, M/M, another fix it cause i'm still not over the finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:35:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27851790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaithyCat/pseuds/CaithyCat
Summary: Dean wakes up from a dream about heaven. As he goes about his day, he realizes what his true heaven looks like.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester
Comments: 14
Kudos: 141





	True Heaven

**Author's Note:**

> Still not over the finale so here's another ending that I wish had happened, instead.

_The sun was beating down on him but he felt no heat, just warmth. Everything was warm here._

_The trees were tall and green. The sky was the bluest he had ever seen. The water trickling down the stream was as clear as glass._

_It was heaven… or so they say._

_Dean smiled to himself as he gazed at the view from the bridge in his memories. There was only one thing that could make this heaven truly his._

_“Hey, Sammy,” he greeted, as he turned his head to see his smiling brother._

_Sam stepped forward, arms open and Dean didn’t even hesitate to pull him into a hug._

_Together, the two brothers looked out into their heaven, side-by-side, as they always have been._

_It should feel right. His head was telling him it should be right. That this was his true heaven._

_The sky._

_The trees._

_The bridge beneath his feet._

_His baby brother by his side._

_Yet, something still felt missing._

_And there was a strange buzzing sound blaring in his ear._

_Dean closed his eyes, trying to block it out. But, the sound kept going, refusing to stand down and give him peace._

_Heaven shouldn’t be so loud like this..._

With a gasp, Dean opened his eyes, heaving as the alarm on his phone continued to buzz him awake.

He was in bed. At home. Lying on soft sheets and pillows. The sun streaming in from the curtained windows.

He was okay. He wasn't dead. He was alive. Living. Breathing. Blood running through his veins. 

His hand reached out to tap the ‘snooze’ button, silencing the buzzing for at least another ten minutes.

Still in a daze, Dean continued to lay in bed, blinking at the ceiling as he tried to hold on to the last vestiges of his dream.

He had died. He went to heaven, apparently. And heaven was different.

Bobby was there. Apparently, everyone else he knew and loved was there, too, though he didn't see them. He went for a long drive with Baby. Then, Sam had joined him. They were on a bridge, that same bridge from their first hunt together after Dad went missing.

Was that what heaven was like now? He wouldn’t know. Jack wouldn’t tell him – secretive kid.

“Dean! I heard your alarm! You better not still be in bed! We have plenty to do today!”

Dean smiled, shaking his head before sitting up and stretching. He could feel his muscles popping, his back twinging in that familiar ache.

Damn, he was getting old.

“I’m awake!” he called back as he moved the blankets aside.

He could smell the eggs and bacon. 

Castiel was making breakfast.

Without wasting any more time, Dean slipped into comfy slippers and made his way down the stairs to the kitchen.

As a habit, his eyes roamed the simple beige wallpaper, the framed photos, the snug carpets, and the random pieces of furniture that didn’t match because they found them at different online listings.

Damn, he loved his house. 

Lazily running a hand through his hair to give it some semblance of order, Dean entered the kitchen with a loud yawn.

“Morning, Cas,” he greeted, settling himself at the table where a mug of coffee already waited.

Their dog, Miracle, raised her head from her own breakfast to bounce up to him with a happy bark. He ran a hand through her fur, fondly scratching her favorite spots. Her tail wagged even faster in delight. She was getting on in years but was still the same beautiful and affectionate dog she was when Dean first found her.

“Good morning, Dean.”

Castiel turned his head away from the stove to flash him a smile before turning back to finish cooking.

With one hand still on Miracle’s fur, Dean lifted the mug to his lips and took a sip, letting out a contented sigh when he tasted the slightly bitter coffee. It warmed him up from his head to the tips of his toes as the caffeine woke his brain up.

He needed it today. Sam and Eileen were coming over tonight and there was a lot to get done around the house.

Plates of eggs and bacon were laid in front of him as well as an empty dish and a fork. Castiel passed him the salt and pepper shakers before sitting down across from him.

“Thanks.” Dean stabbed into the eggs and grabbed a couple of pieces of bacon.

Castiel hummed in response as he did the same.

Silently, the two men ate.

The forks clanged against the plates accompanied by the sounds of chewing. Every now and then, Miracle would whine, hoping to get a piece of bacon. (Dean snuck her a few when Castiel went to refill his coffee mug.)

Outside, birds sang their morning song and the squirrels chattered as they went about their business. Castiel said there was a nest of robins residing in the tree by their porch.

(He didn’t want Dean to cut the tree, even though it would give them plenty of space for a nice front garden.

“It’s their home, Dean!” he had insisted when Dean tried to argue his stance.

He had looked so distraught that Dean ended up giving in and leaving the tree alone.)

It had been five years since Castiel returned to the Winchesters from the Empty, graceless and human. Even if he was technically God now, Jack still had to make a deal – and the cost was Castiel’s grace. Castiel was no longer an angel and never would be again, even if he stole another angel’s grace. He was fully human, would live a mortal life, and would return to heaven as a human soul when he died.

Meanwhile, after a close call with a vampire nest and almost dying from a nail in the back in Ohio (Sam managed to clear out the bodies, call 911, and get him to the hospital in time), Dean had decided, right there and then, that he was done hunting. He wanted stability.

He had his Free Will back and he was going to use it to create a new life for himself and Castiel. So, after looking around the area, he got a job as a mechanic at the town garage – he was always pretty good at fixing up cars. The money wasn’t much but at least it was legal this time. No more stealing credit cards and identity theft for him.

Not wanting to be a burden, Castiel applied for a part-time job at a convenience store. They had to forge his papers and create a new identity (Castiel insisted on taking Jimmy’s last name “Novak”, to honor his vessel) but that was the easy part. Because even though he had lived as a human before, the former angel still struggled with basic human needs. He’d forget that he needed to eat and would only be reminded if his stomach was growling and tightening in protest. And he’d forget to sleep until he lost consciousness while on his feet, wherever he was. But, soon, he got used to it, even if he found bathroom breaks so inconvenient.

For the first two years, Dean and Castiel continued to live at the bunker with Sam and Eileen, helping the couple with finding, researching, and solving cases.

Dean’s brother never truly left the hunting life. Sam was good at it and loved it more than Dean ever did. Besides, he had Eileen as a partner, this time, in more ways than one. They worked together like a well-oiled machine, Dean was loathed to admit. But, Sam was happy and Eileen took good care of him and always had his back – that was enough for the older Winchester.

Dean found the old farmhouse for sale at a cheap price three years ago. It was practically falling apart but still held a certain charm. Dean fell in love at first sight and when he showed it to Castiel, the former angel loved it, too. They bought it and fixed it up, renovating where they could. It took a year and all their manpower just to repair the roof, the front and back porch, and the kitchen.

When the farmhouse was ready and livable, Dean and Castiel officially moved out of the bunker and into their new home.

Dean continued to work as a mechanic, doing the best work for his clients and impressing the garage owner so much that he showed Dean the ropes of running the business. And he was an attentive student. Dean may not have graduated high school and gone to college like Sam but it didn’t mean he was uneducated. And he had even made friends with the other mechanics, learning their techniques and sharing his own. And, maybe someday, when he saved up enough, he could open his own garage. 

Meanwhile, Castiel quit the convenience store when he discovered a Honey Farm nearby. He learned how to be a beekeeper – the bees always did fascinate him. He was good at it. He talked to the bees like he talked to people. Whether he could actually understand them or simply made up their conversations, it didn’t matter. He was a hoot among the older ladies and the kids.

(Sam and Eileen still lived at the bunker, finding it more convenient with all the resources they needed for hunts. When they weren’t on the road, they would come to dinner.

And, sometimes, even Jack popped in to say “hello.” Castiel always kept a box of Cookie Crunch cereal for him in the pantry.)

Their house was small. Their jobs were mundane. They had an everyday routine.

Their life was simple. But, it was theirs. Finally theirs.

“I’m going to the store after breakfast,” Castiel finally spoke up as he cleared his plate. “Do you have the list of things you need for dinner?”

“Yeah, it’s upstairs, I can grab it.”

“No need.” Castiel stood up to put his plate in the sink. “I’m going to get dressed so I'll get it. Where did you put it?”

“Dresser.”

Dean continued to eat while Castiel headed out of the kitchen, pausing for a few beats to fondly scratch behind Miracle’s ear. When he disappeared down the hallway, Dean tossed the last of the bacon to the dog before getting up and doing the dishes.

As he placed the last plate on the rack, Castiel returned to the kitchen, dressed in a polo shirt, jeans, sneakers, and a tan leather jacket. He had stopped wearing the trench coat a while ago, but the sight of him without it still made Dean pause. 

“I’ll be back in half an hour,” Castiel said.

Dean flicked the last of the water away before wiping his hands on a rag. “Okay. I’ll walk Miracle while you’re out.”

Castiel nodded. Then, he smiled shyly before leaning in and planting a chaste kiss on Dean’s lips.

“I’ll see you later.”

Dean squeezed his hand, offering a loving smile of his own. “See you later, Cas.”

Just like their life, their relationship was simple. Mundane, sometimes. But, if Dean was honest, he wouldn’t have it any other way. Gone were the days of one night stands and denials of how he felt. He was getting too old for all that. He had gone through hell and back (quite literally) plus purgatory. He deserved this, damnit.

Sure, Dean still had trouble expressing his feelings (thanks for that, Dad). He rarely even said the words that Castiel freely expressed. But, the advantage of them having their so-called profound bond was that he didn’t need to really say anything for his partner to know how he truly felt about him.

Castiel already knew. He had always known. And he didn’t expect Dean to change.

Besides, Dean was more of a man of action, anyway.

Miracle barked, looking up at him with excited puppy dog eyes. She was anxious to get out and walk and chase squirrels and get the occasional pets from excited kids.

“Alright, alright, give me a sec.”

Dean took one last sweep of the kitchen to ensure everything was fine before bounding up the stairs to the bedroom. He swapped his pajama pants for sweatpants and tugged on his worn brown leather jacket over his sleep shirt. (He could shower later.)

Downstairs, he grabbed his house keys, clipped Miracle’s leash to her collar, and led her out of the house, locking the door behind him.

Baby was still parked in her usual spot so Castiel must have taken the Corolla to the store. (He wouldn’t take the Impala out without Dean’s permission, anyway.)

The air was chilly but the sun was out and bright, making their walk pleasant. Miracle led the way, her head swiveling around as she sniffed the familiar surroundings. She chose a spot under a tree to do her business and Dean cleaned up after her. He tossed the bag into a nearby trash can before continuing on their way.

“Morning, Dean!”

He lifted a hand to greet their neighbor who was out on a morning walk. “Morning, James.”

He stopped for a few seconds to chat about the weather (“Nice weather we’re having”), about James’ wife and kids (“The missus told me Castiel gave her a large discount on a crate of honey. Thanks for that, it really means a lot”), and what Dean and Castiel’s plans were for the holidays (“It’s always nice to see family”).

Miracle began to whine and tug on her leash so Dean said his goodbyes and went on his way.

They stopped two more times, both for the neighborhood kids who were Miracle’s regular admirers. Little 5-year-old Emma who Miracle would stay still for as the little arms hugged her tight. Then, there were the Ross triplets, who always had a treat for their furry friend. (This was why Castiel had been trying – but failing – to put her on a diet. She kept getting spoiled with treats!)

Once they made it to the end of their usual route, Dean gently tugged on her leash, signaling that it was time to return home.

The Corolla’s spot was still empty so Castiel hadn't returned yet.

Dean released Miracle from her leash and she immediately padded over to her pillow by the fireplace. Meanwhile, Dean went back upstairs and finally jumped into the shower.

By the time he was finished cleaning up and getting dressed, noises downstairs and a cooing of Miracle’s name indicated that Castiel was back from the store.

Dean made his way to the kitchen, pausing for a moment at the entrance to watch his partner put away the groceries. But, never one to miss a thing, Castiel turned to him and smiled.

“Hello, Dean. There was a sale on pie so I got you two.” He gestured to the kitchen table where two boxes sat.

Dean whistled, finally entering the kitchen to take a look. One box was labeled “apple” and the other “blueberry.”

“A man after my own heart, Cas!”

He took the few steps towards his partner, who was putting the meat in the freezer, and pecked his cheek in appreciation.

Castiel blushed, simply replying, “You’re welcome.”

With a happy grin, Dean helped put the rest of the groceries away. He didn’t need to start cooking until after lunch.

“By the way, Jody called while I was at the store,” Castiel said, putting a box of cereal away in the pantry. “She’s asking what we’re bringing to Thanksgiving.”

“I was thinking mac and cheese,” Dean replied as he folded up the grocery bags to be re-used for later.

“Claire’s cooking this year.”

“On second thought, maybe we should just bring the bird.”

“Dean.” Castiel was scolding but it was in a fond tone.

“The last time Claire cooked, Alex got to practice her nursing skills on us.”

“That was years ago.”

“My stomach has never forgotten, Cas.”

“It was her first time cooking, Dean. I’m sure she’s improved since then.”

Castiel always made good points.

“Fine. But we’re bringing our own Pepcid.”

Castiel simply chuckled in response.

After finishing with the groceries, they both went upstairs to get the guest room ready. Sam and Eileen always stayed the night. Castiel dusted while Dean changed the sheets to fresh ones and sprayed some air freshener to get rid of the dusty smell.

When that was done, they went back downstairs. Dean retreated to the living room to catch up on some of his shows. Meanwhile, Castiel picked up his book from the coffee table and went outside to the back porch to read the morning away. At some point, Miracle got up from her pillow to follow him outside.

At 11am, Castiel went back in and settled on the couch next to Dean.

“What should we have for lunch?” he asked, snuggling to his side.

“Maybe something light since we’re having a big dinner.” Dean placed an arm over his shoulder as he pursed his lips in thought. “PB&J?”

Castiel’s eyes practically sparkled at the suggestion of his favorite food in the entire world.

After lunch, Dean went back to his show and Castiel to his book. This time, both were in the living room. Miracle interrupted them at some point, begging Dean to play, to which he obliged and they played a half hour’s worth of fetch. Then, it was back to his show.

At 4 o’clock, Dean shut the T.V. off, Castiel marked his book, and Miracle napped, still exhausted from playtime.

The next two hours were a flurry of activity in the kitchen. Pasta simmered in the pot. Chicken baked in the oven. And leaves and veggies were chopped for a salad (because Sam would complain if there wasn’t some kind of healthy food on the table).

Dean liked cooking. And, don’t tell Sam, but he especially liked cooking for his brother. At the end of the day, Dean was still a big brother who wanted to take care of his baby brother, no matter how old they both were now. (But, even if he had a gun pointed at his head or was back at Hell’s gates, he would never confess to it.)

It was a little past six when the rumble of a car outside alerted them to their visitors. The table in the dining room was already set and the warm food arranged neatly by Dean.

Castiel opened the door and was immediately greeted with a hug from Eileen followed by Sam. Dean went out to meet them, practically jumping on his giant of a brother to receive a hug.

“Heya, Sammy!”

“Hi, Dean. The food smells great! I’m starving!”

They wasted no time settling into their respective seats and passing the food around. Sam and Eileen had brought a bottle of sparkling cider, which was opened and poured into everyone’s glasses.

“When did you guys get back?” Dean asked, passing the basket of dinner rolls to Castiel.

“Yesterday,” Sam answered, helping himself to a generous amount of salad. “We were pretty beat so we ended up sleeping until noon.”

“What was the case?” Castiel asked as he tore into his roll.

“Wendigo,” Eileen answered, pausing in cutting her chicken to sign. “In Iowa. It was luring kids from a small village to the forest. Took us three days.”

“Nice!” Dean signed. “Those bastards don’t stand a chance against Sam Winchester and Eileen Leahy!”

Everyone cheered, toasting to the success of the two hunters.

The conversation continued.

Dean shared updates on his work at the Garage and how he might be up for a promotion pretty soon. Castiel talked about his bees and how smart his co-workers were for their ideas of honey flavors. 

As they finished up dinner, Sam loudly cleared his throat as he took Eileen's hand in his.

“So, uh, we have some news,” he began, flashing his girlfriend a look. She nodded at him, in encouragement. “And we wanted you two to be the first to know.”

Dean frowned. “This sounds serious. Is someone sick?”

The couple laughed.

“No, no, this is good news,” said Eileen.

Sam cleared his throat. “So… We wanted to tell you… that… we... well, Eileen… is… pregnant.”

The couple beamed while Dean almost choked on his wine.

“For real?!”

“Congratulations!” Castiel exclaimed.

Hugs were exchanged and Dean broke out a bottle of wine to celebrate his new status as Uncle.

“You should name it after me, Sammy!”

“Not a chance!”

Dean tried to act offended but he was much too happy to really argue.

Sam deserved this. He had a woman he loved, a job he was passionate about, and now a kid on the way. There was no doubt that he was going to be an amazing father. And Dean and Castiel would definitely be the favorite uncles.

After partaking in the apple pie for dessert, Sam volunteered to help Castiel with the dishes while Eileen spent quality time with Miracle.

Feeling stuffed and full of dinner and happiness, Dean took the opportunity to grab a beer and go out into the back porch for some fresh air. He leaned against the wooden column of the front porch, just taking it all in.

It was a peaceful night. The cicadas were loud, as always. An owl hooted from somewhere. Above, the clear evening sky was littered with bright stars, as if the heavens, too, were celebrating the addition of another Winchester in this world. Maybe they were. Jack would be aware of the news by now. Dean hoped he would come to visit soon. It had been a while and Castiel missed the kid. (Dean did, too, but don’t quote him on that.)

The door behind him opened and, soon, familiar arms wrapped around his waist.

“Hi.”

“Hey, angel.”

Castiel tucked his head on top of his shoulder. He was warm and Dean savored the feeling.

“What are you doing out here?”

“Just… thinking.”

“About?”

“How happy I am.”

Castiel hummed. “It is indeed happy news to find out you are having a nephew. A new addition to your family.”

“Our family, Cas,” he corrected, squeezing the hand at his stomach.

“Our family,” Castiel agreed.

Dean lifted the hand to his lips, pressing a light kiss to the knuckles. “I had a weird dream last night. I just remembered it again.”

“Weird in what sense?”

“It was… heaven, I think. But, it also… wasn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Well… for one… you weren’t there.”

Damn, that was so cheesy. The apple pie life was making Dean soft.

But, then Castiel pressed an affectionate kiss to his temple and Dean was reminded why he didn’t mind the occasional softness so much anymore. (But, again, he wouldn’t admit it, even with a gun to his head.)

“But, I think my dream got it wrong,” he continued. “That wasn’t heaven. Not to me. My heaven is down here. With Sam. Eileen. Miracle. And everyone we found along the way.” He turned his head, meeting Castiel’s pretty blue eyes. “And, you, of course. There’s no heaven without you, Cas.”

“Dean…" Castiel's eyes sparkled with mischief. "You are getting better at expressing your feelings.”

Dean laughed, softly. “Yeah, well, it only took five years and the news that I’m gonna be an Uncle. So, don’t get used to this, Cas.”

Castiel’s arms tightened around him. “I’m sure Jack has turned heaven into a wonderful place again. But, promise me, Dean, that you won’t go there yet. Not until your hair turns gray and your skin turns wrinkly.”

Dean patted his hand. “I’ll do my best if you do the same for me.”

Castiel chuckled and kissed his cheek before pulling away. “Come inside, Dean.”

“Give me a few more minutes.”

“Okay.”

Dean kept his gaze on the sky as Castiel left.

It didn't take long for him to have company again. 

“So, why are you out here and not in there?”

Dean laughed. “Heya, Sammy.”

Sam leaned on the column opposite him, clutching his own bottle of beer.

“Just thinking,” Dean repeated his answer. “Just… did you ever think we’d be this happy, Sam?”

“Honestly? No. But… we deserve it… right?”

“Yeah, we do!”

For a moment, they were silent, simply listening to the night sounds and enjoying the warmth in their stomachs brought by the beer.

Then, Sam broke the silence.

“So, I was also thinking…”

Dean met his brother’s gaze, curious.

“Since Eileen is pregnant, we’re probably gonna take a break from hunting.”

Dean’s brows rose. “Yeah? That’s good. Focus on the health of the mom and baby and all that jazz.”

Sam hummed. "We talked about moving out of the bunker and getting a house and everything. Maybe get married, officially.” Sam took another sip of beer. “But, cases don’t end just ‘cause a hunter takes a break, right?”

“Yeah…”

His baby brother wanted to get married. Dean couldn't be happier. 

“So, remember one time when we talked about creating a Hunter’s Network out of the bunker? You know, to help other hunters. Provide them with resources they don’t need to literally sell their soul for?”

Dean nodded, recalling a conversation they had about it a long time ago, right around the time he decided to retire.

Sam’s eyes flickered with hope.

“Well, maybe we could get started on that… if you’re willing to still be a part of it, I mean. I get that you have a different life now and you don’t want to hunt anymore, but you’ll be mostly hands-off in the cases. And Cas has some angelic and holy knowledge that maybe we can write down and turn into some kind of guide… if he’s willing to help out. You don’t even have to come to the bunker, I can just come here and we can work on plans and-.”

“Sammy.”

Sam broke off, taking a sip of his beer and avoiding looking at Dean, as if he was afraid of the answer.

And, to be quite honest, Dean hadn’t thought about being involved in hunter life. But, it wasn’t like he was out of touch with it. He still listened to Sam’s stories of his hunts. He had conversations with Jody when she called to ask for advice on dealing with some creature. He and Castiel still had some books on the supernatural on the bookshelf in their bedroom. And, he can’t forget about the guns and knives and other hunting apparel stored in a box under their bed and in Baby’s trunk. Heck, he and Castiel still carried a flask of holy water with them!

Hunting would always be in his blood.

He may no longer want to be directly involved but, maybe he could still help.

“Sure, why not?” Dean finally answered.

Sam’s head jerked towards him in surprise. “Really?”

Dean shrugged. “I may not be holding the gun anymore but I sure as hell can teach another hunter how to kill a vampire in ten different ways.”

“Dean…” Sam looked like he was about to start crying.

“Saving people, hunting things, that’s the family business, right?”

He held out his beer bottle again.

Sam smiled and met it with his own. “Yeah.”

The brothers drank to that promise.

And Dean couldn’t help but think that, in his own way, he had found his own heaven on earth. 


End file.
